Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars
Chapter 8

"Finally," Alek muttered as the doors into the lift closed. He leaned against the wall and glared at it. Only moments ago one of Haydel's advisors had been trying to stop both Alek and Darious from heading down to lower city. He'd kept going on and on about the risks and dangers of the lower city. "I thought we'd never get away from that man."

Darious' lips twitched in a half-hearted smile. "You've been wanting down here since we arrived. Even if Anver is down here, we might not find him in a day," Darious pointed out. "You know as well as I do, if Avner doesn't want to be found, no one will find him."

"We're not just down here for him. Crime's been on the rise and the Republic will be looking into it," Alek pointed out.

"So it's now our mission to stamp out the gangs and all little crime bosses springing up?" Darious said with laughter in his eyes.

"Whatever," Alek shrugged before he straightened. "Let's just focus on the people down here." And finding Avner, he added to himself.

"Right." Darious smiled, seeming to know what was on Alek's mind right then.

The lift came to a jarring stop. Alek was the first out, not wanting to linger long in that small, grim filled lift. The streets down here were far worse than the lift had been. The trash lining the road was only part of it. There was a feeling of illness and decay about this place that made Alek shiver.

"This place feels rotten," Darious voiced what Alek felt. He sighed. "We'd best get to work. Perhaps the smaller crime first, I'd rather not try taking on military like gangs on our own."

Alek smiled. "We could do it with Avner," he stated. Together the three of them could just about do anything.

At this Darious shook his head and folded his arms across his chest. "Avner wouldn't even try. He'd advice against it, actually."

"Yeah," Alek agreed, knowing all too well how much Avner disliked fighting in and of itself. But he would always fight if the people needed him to. That was one of the reasons Alek was hoping to find his friend here instead of in pieces on another world out of the Republic's reach.

"Come on." Darious took the led, his dark eyes watchful for any danger.

Alek was only a pace behind him also on alert for danger and for any signs of Avner. Though, in the end, Darious was right. If Avner had no desire to be found, he could easily mask himself. Granted, it would take closer proximity to him if he wasn't masking himself for Alek to find him just because there were so many people here.

The two of them made their way further into the lower city. Darious had told his padawan to remain in the upper city in order to oversee matters there while the two knights were away. The boy had looked shocked and rather eager to prove himself in this task. It'd taken a lot not to laugh at the boy's enthusiasm over something so dull.

Time slipped by with them moving from one refugee camp to the next. Most of the time gangs fled at the sight of the two of them. It was all rather dull because Darious refused to give chase. He reminded Alek that just chasing off the gangs from this spot wouldn't stop them from coming back unless they were scared to the point they feared you which wasn't something a Jedi should be doing in the first place as it was.

Alek only shrugged and helped with what little he could in the camps. The problem was, he was a guardian and knew next to nothing about healing with the force. That'd always been something that Darious was more interested in than anyone else out of the three of them.

While Darious healed a young girl who'd fallen and broken her leg, Alek leaned against the wall. He watched the refugees, scanning them for any who were either wearing Jedi robes or looked remotely close to Avner just in case in had to shed his robes in order to survive or something like that. No one in the crowd leapt out at him and none looked even remotely close to Alek's friend. There was also the fact that Alek couldn't sense Avner anywhere. Damn, why the hell was he hiding? From what was he hiding?!

"Are you two working with that other Jedi who's been here?" a voice jarred Alek from his thoughts.

He looked around to see an elderly man, leaning heavily on a carved walking stick. The man looked as if he was about to fall over. His skin was almost too big for his fail form.

"Other Jedi?" Alek asked, straightening. "Was he about this tall," – Alek gestured at Avner's height on him – "with black hair and dark eyes?"

"Don't know much about that," the man stated in a feeble voice. "But the height looks about right, yeah." He nodded to himself, muttering under his breath, "Yeah, yeah, the height is right. He wore his hood up the rest of the time though."

Darious had moved over to join Alek during this. "That sounds like a friend of ours who's been missing since Tarnith was taken."

"Do you know where he went?" Alek had to fight back his excitement. The force was with them. By the sounds of it Avner was here after all even if Alek couldn't sense him. By the force, this was great news!

"Na, couldn't tell ya where he's gone since two days ago." The old man shook his head before pointing a trembling finger in the direction that led further into the lower city. "But he did head in that direction."

"Thanks," Alek nodded to the man before starting off in the direction the man had pointed. This was their chance to find Avner. It was their only chance at finding Avner!

"Wait up!" Darious called after Alek and raced to catch up. "Your plan is to charge off in some direction a random guy pointed in?"

"It's better than standing around doing nothing." A smile on his face, Alek stated, "Besides, Avner has to be here. What other Jedi could be? There are no others in the area."

"I'm not arguing… much." Darious caught up and matched his stride to Alek's. "But let's at least walk." He tugged Alek's sleeve, forcing him to walk instead of race off.

Alek grunted. While he wasn't too pleased with walking he did understand Darious' reasoning. It was un-Jedi like to race towards something that didn't have to do with someone dying.

When they arrived at the next refugee camp it didn't take Alek and Darious long to discover who the last person had been to speak with Avner. It turned out to be a woman with a sickly child.

The woman was kneeling beside her boy; her hands clasped his as she watched him. She didn't look away from the boy even as Alek and Darious stopped before her.

Darious glanced at Alek before he turned to the woman. The look told Alek to keep his mouth shut here. "Pardon me, ma'am," he started in a polite voice.

At the sound of his voice, she jumped and whipped around, her muscles tensed as if she expected a fight. Then, at the sight of their robes, her body loosened. "More Jedi?" she breathed in wonder. Her eyes were wide and skin pale under the layer of grim

"You met another Jedi last night, correct?" Darious asked.

"Y-yes," she admitted, stumbling over the words. "He healed my son and gave me credits in exchange for information."

"On what?" Alek stepped forward.

Darious shot him a look, but didn't otherwise respond to Alek's impatience. They had to learn where Avner had gone. Alek was certain it was him now. Only one person would do so much for so little. Most other Jedi would just heal the child or just give the credits.

"We're looking for him," Darious told the woman. "He's a friend of ours who ended up trapped on Tarnith. We only just learned he was here."

The woman looked between them before she nodded. "He asked if I knew of anyone who could get him off-world." She took a deep breath. "He seemed like he really needed to get to Coruscant, like the fate of many depended on it."

"And did you give him away off-world?" Alek asked.

She nodded again. "I gave him the name of a small time hood, Marn Hierogryph. He deals in just about everything."

"Do you know where this Marn is at?" Alek asked, heart flickering with hope that they might have founded Avner at last and could take down this criminal at the same time. If Avner wasn't there then they could just take down the criminal.

"No. I can't afford his information let alone the medical supplies he sells."

"Your son, he's sick?" Darious asked, looking towards the boy.

"He's doing much better since your friend healed him yesterday." The woman smiled, her eyes brimming with joy at the thought of her son.

"Thank you for the information." Alek smiled at her and gave her some of his kolto-packs. "These might come in handy."

The woman just stared at him. Her eyes were even wider with shock than they had been with wonder only seconds before. "T-thank you," she stammered.

"Come on, Darious, let's get going!" Alek took hold of his friend's wrist and dragged him away before he could offer to heal the woman's son even more than Avner had.

After sometime of walking, Alek began to feel a dim, familiar presence through the force. He glanced at Darious and saw his friend had sensed it as well. Avner was nearby!

xxx

Avner glanced around at the dripping pipes which covered the walls, ceiling, and floor. There was metal mesh over the ground, providing a somewhat dry path through these halls. The air was fouler here than it had been in the more populated parts of the lower city. He couldn't imagine why anyone would hide out here even to hide from the authorities. Though, he himself had ended up having to flee here, so he guessed it really wasn't too much of a shock.

After helping that woman, Avner had ended up being surrounded by the vulkars. One of them had been the leader he'd chased away from the woman. Out numbered, Avner had chosen to flee instead of fighting and ultimately killing them. The last thing he'd wanted was to kill them even if they were far from innocent.

In the flight, he'd burned his robe and stashed his lightsaber in his boot. The rest of his robes were tattered, covered in dirt, his own blood, and grim. Most people hadn't even given him a glance as he'd slipped by. The vulkars, however, were keeping an eye out for him so he'd slipped into this place in order to avoid one of their patrols.

Avner sighed and tugged at the soiled bandaging around his arm. The wound still hadn't healed and had reopened sometime ago.

"Watch where you're stepping," snapped a voice behind Avner.

Jumping, Avner whorled around, ready to either fight or run. He'd not been keeping his senses alert and cursed himself to that slip up. Instead of coming face to face with a vulkar, it was snivvian. His short, almost rodent like features made his stand out as such. He wore a hooded, purple shirt with a cloth belt holding several pouches.

"Err, sorry?" Avner straightened, sensing that he could easily out run or overpower this snivvian.

The snivvian snorted and strode passed Avner to a spot near where Avner had been walking. He knelt down and pried off the mesh.

Avner narrowed his eyes. This man had to be the one he'd been looking for. He didn't have much to lose just by asking. "You wouldn't happen to be Marn Hierogryph?"

"Depends on who's asking," the snivvian stated, taking out a box and looking at Avner.

"Someone who needs your help, if you're him."

"Look, I don't do charity work. Go find someone else."

"I wasn't expecting you to do charity work," Avner stated with a sly smile. He reached into a pouch around his belt and pulled out a small, hard crystal. "Would this do as payment?" He showed the small, purple crystal to the snivvian. It was one of the few he'd left from when he'd gone to find the one he used for his lightsaber.

"What is it?" He eyed the crystal with suspicion.

"A crystal Jedi use in their lightsabers. I hear it produces the color of the blade. Very rare, you sell and you could be rich."

"Could be?" He rubbed his chin, giving the crystal a thoughtful look. "What do you want for it?" he asked after several long moments.

"That depends. Are you or are you not Marn Hierogryph?"

"That's me!" he said, puffing out his chest.

Avner smiled. "All right, in exchange for this, I want away off-world."

Marn narrowed his eyes. "You'd need more than one messily crystal to buy that, kid!"

Of course, that had been expected as well. The problem was Avner didn't have anything else of value on him. Well, not unless one counted his lightsaber. He sighed and closed his hand over the crystal. "How much would it take?"

"More than you have, but that crystal could buy you away into the middle city."

It was Avner's turn to be suspicious. "Upper city," he stated, "no more, no less."

"Middle," the snivvian argued back.

The sound of two people coming, interrupted their argument, to call it bartering would be like calling a moon a planet. Avner stiffened, the woman's words, echoing in his mind. Damn, if he was caught with a criminal.

"Well, nice knowing ya!" the snivvian scampered away.

Avner stared after him. All right, well that took care of that part of the problem, but left him with more than he had before coming down here. Looking around, Avner caught sight of a vent overhead. He leapt up and pulled himself into it. The metal groaned under the extra weight, but didn't break. He reached for his lightsaber, but stopped. There was something familiar about those moving towards him.

"Damn it!" a familiar voice shouted just as Alek came into view below. "I could've sworn I sensed him here."

"If I hadn't sensed it as well, I'd state you're a terrible tracker," Darious' voice came up to Avner.

Avner couldn't help it, a smile spread across his face as relief flooded him. "You two have terrible eyes then!" he laughed and leapt down, landing just behind Alek.

Alek whipped around, hand on his lightsaber before he caught sight of Avner. "Avner?" his blue eyes were wide as he stared at Avner as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

"You'd think being so tall you'd learn to look up more often," Avner teased his friend instead of giving a straight response.

"Avner!" Alek clapped him on the shoulder.

Avner gasped at the twinge of pain from his arm and staggered from the blow. "Wha –!" Avner straightened. "What are you two doing here?" Avner asked looking at the both of them. Not that he was complaining. This was much better than having to try dealing with that snivvian… and far more legal.

"Let's get out of the lower city first," Alek stated.

"And have a look at that wound." Darious pointed at the bloodied bandage. "Besides, I think both of us would like to know how you ended up here as well." Darious frowned before he slipped off his robe and held it out to Avner. "Here, take this."

Avner hesitated.

"I've a spare, take it. I don't think the guards will see you as a Jedi with how wrecked your robes are."

At this Avner smiled. "That's how I ended up down here," he admitted before taking the robe. "Thanks, Darious." Thank the force he and Darious were around the same height. The baggy robe fit almost perfectly.

Avner tugged up the hood as the three of them started towards the exit. They walked in silence to the lifts and even up into the upper city. With his friends with him, the guards didn't stop and question them about Avner, allowing him onto the lift without paying for it.

The upper city was calmer than it had been down below. A cool breeze whispered through the gleaming, crowded streets. Avner followed his friends through the crowd to the apartment they were staying in.

"Master Darious!" Darious' padawan greeted them as they neared. "The—" he cut off at the sight of Avner and blinked. He turned back to Darious and continued, "The Taris representative wants to speak with you."

"I'll be there in a bit," Darious stated and led the way into the apartment.

"It's good to see you again, Padawan Jasper," Avner greeted the young padawan.

The tall boy flushed and bowed his head to Avner. "You as well, Knight Avner," he mumbled. Jasper had been raised and trained on Dantooine, the same world that Alek, Avner, and Darious had first met on. Out of the other prospects he was the only who hadn't been chosen by a master. Lucien Draay and his group had taken the other five padawans. Despite being separated from his classmates, Jasper had never shown any regret or hesitation while he worked alongside Darious.

Avner had been another prospective master at the ceremony, but chosen to not choose a padawan. Besides, he had enough problems with council disliking him as it was without giving them even more reason to state he was in danger of falling and was about to drag a younger Jedi with him.

The apartment was spacious and had three beds in it. Darious gestured to Avner. "Let me take a look at your arm before I have to go."

Avner took off the robe and sat down at the table.

Darious unwrapped the bandaging and sighed. "You never were the best at dressing wounds, especially yours."

At this Avner laughed. "If I'd wanted to be a healer, I'd have stayed with Kreia." He used the nickname his friends had given Master Kae.

"Ha," Alek scoffed, "you couldn't stand that old—" he cut off as Avner shot him a glare. "Well, anyway, how'd you get off Tarnith?" Alek changed the subject. "I mean, knowing you, you'd have stayed there to help every last person you could."

"I would've too," Avner stated with a small smile as Darious used to the force to heal his arm. "But the head of security, Laird, convinced me to take a group of refugees here instead of staying behind."

"Hmm," – Darious frowned as he rewrapped Avner's arm – "there's more to it than that, isn't there? No one could get you to leave that easily, after all." Darious sat down at the table as well.

Avner hesitated, weighing if he should or shouldn't tell his friends what he'd learned. Sighing, he decided it would do more harm than good to keep it from them. Besides, if he couldn't convince them war was coming, how could he ever expect to convince the council?

After several moments, Avner told them what had happened on Tarnith. He started with the mandalorians arrival. When he got to the minister's betrayal and words, Alek leapt to his feet.

"He said what?" his oldest friend demanded.

"That war is coming and there was nothing I could do to stop it," Avner repeated.

Darious was leaning back in his seat, rubbing his chin and frowning. "So you left in order to warn the Republic and the High Council."

Nodding, Avner explained, "Out of all the master on the council, Kavar is the most likely to listen."

At this Alek snorted. "You didn't see the way he was acting when we were assigned to come here. But you're still right, you're always right." He gave Avner a board smile. "So, what's the plan if the council and senate refuse to see war's coming?"

Of course the two of them believed him. They'd been friends too long for them not to. Avner sighed and shook his head. "I've not thought that far," he half lied. The truth of the matter was, he didn't want to think on that possible future.